"Most garden tasks are just about making the place look aesthetically pleasing - but there's one that is a legal obligation and could even be a matter of life or death. This is débroussaillement (pronounced day-broo-say-eh-mon) - the French term for clearing away brush, vegetation and dead leaves. The reason that this is important is related to wildfires - and in fact, homeowners in some parts of France, where wildfires are common, have a legal obligation to do this every year."
"According to French fire services, 90 percent of houses that are destroyed in wildfires are in areas where the vegetation has been either not been cleared or has been poorly cleared. If you do live in a wildfire zone, then exactly when you do this task is up to you, as long as you do it once a year. READ ALSO: Wildfire prevention: The legal obligations for French property owners"
"However the French government's Service Public site points out that this is the ideal time to do it, saying: "Autumn and winter are the best times to clear brush around your home, thereby reducing the risk of summer fires spreading. "Plants that have lost their leaves are easier to prune, and pruning does not disrupt the reproduction cycles of flora and fauna, which take place in the spring.""
Débroussaillement requires annual clearing of brush, vegetation, and dead leaves around properties, especially in wildfire-prone areas. French law mandates this task for homeowners in regions at risk of wildfires. Proper clearing creates discontinuities between tall and low vegetation, between plants of the same size, and between plants and buildings. Conducting the task in autumn and winter is advised because plants are easier to prune and wildlife reproduction cycles are not disrupted. Effective clearing significantly reduces the chance of homes igniting and limits fire spread toward buildings. Ninety percent of houses lost to wildfires are in poorly cleared areas.
Read at The Local France
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